


Once Bitten, Twice Shy

by ArcticShadow



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-28 19:53:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3867757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticShadow/pseuds/ArcticShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Finally decided on a vague plot idea that I suddenly remembered!  Always planned on Asami in his upcoming role, though.</p></blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The man was almost entirely of Japanese descent. Were one to look at his back while he was sitting, there would be no question. It was only when his size was shown and his eyes were seen that doubt would enter one's mind. The man was tall and broad, all his size coming from lean muscle; yet, while not common, it is possible for Japanese men to become such as well. The true heritage mark was his eyes, a molten gold not found anywhere in the country. They were hypnotic, almost impossible to look away from once caught in his stare. Those around him quickly learned to avoid eye contact whenever possible, unable to stand the penetrating, soul-baring gaze.

No one quite knew the heritage of those golden eyes, though many speculations had been made. On one end of the spectrum were the whispers that the man was a devil, powerful and unable to be defeated. On the other end were those who believed it to be merely a genetic mutation, or perhaps even colored contact lenses. Regardless of the truth, all who caught a glimpse of the man knew straight away of his frightening power and overwhelming presence. Only a few men could stand being near him for a prolonged period of time; they themselves gave off an aura of danger that instinctively told others 'stay away.'

Despite this, the man was practically a celebrity; a leading businessman and an enormously rich bachelor, he was featured on and in countless magazines and newspapers. He was known to give generous donations to various charities and causes, particularly in the fields of medicine and foster care. It was only the informed few who had inklings of the other side of the man's business, of why he was so dangerous. Still fewer of those actually knew the truth. The man was the leader of the largest yakuza group in Japan, literally the king of the blackest side of the country. His known income was a mere fraction of what he actually earned, and were he to use the politicians he owned, he could rule the overworld of Japan overnight.

Although he had all of this, the man was rarely seen with a smile on his face; in fact, were one to see it, they would be paralyzed in fear, as it promised pain and death. Those beside him smiled even less, stoically carrying out any order given them. A cheerless environment constantly surrounded the man, leaving many wondering why it was so; some of them would take advantage of it and have short-term relationships with the man, getting as much out of it as they could. They never tried to connect emotionally, believing the man to be heartless. The man himself believed so as well; he took what he wanted from those who got near him without care for them.

This was the man's life, a cold and merciless world. It had been that way for so long, he almost couldn't remember anything else. In his quiet moments, though, a faint yet familiar ache would start to resurface, the longing and desperation so deep he couldn't bear to feel more than a whisper of them. As such, he almost constantly distracted himself with work or other mind-numbing activities to try and stave off the hollowness, but it was getting harder to do so. The desire to be with someone who actually cared about him was practically painful.

He could only hope that he would meet with his true partner soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally decided on a vague plot idea that I suddenly remembered! Always planned on Asami in his upcoming role, though.

"You sure you can take this job, old man?"

Takaba Akihito bristled at the dig. "I'll do it better than anyone else you've got could, boy."

"Fine, fine, just get me the pictures. Seeya round, Takaba."

Akihito grunted in reply, then shuffled his way out of the editor's office. 'Just because I'm not some spry twenty-something year-old doesn't mean I can't still do the job.'

All his life, Akihito's only career has been photography. He loved taking pictures, anything from landscapes to weddings to crime shots. When he was younger, Akihito loved to try and catch with his viewfinder those on the wrong side of the law, and he was really good at it. As he got older, though, his body became less and less able to accomplish the awkward hiding positions and frenzied running that came along with the gig. He eventually had to stop doing it altogether, focusing instead on the more public aspects of photography.

Taking pictures wasn't his only love, though. Akihito loved tinkering with cameras, and as more and more technology came out, he made better and better modifications to his cameras. In fact, he was behind some of the major accomplishments in camera technology, but instead of spending the money he earned from those patents on himself, he would donate almost all of it to various charities. He was fine living frugally, and he wanted to help others as much as he could.

Now, after living over eight decades, Akihito found he sorely missed the adrenaline rush that came from 'crime fighting.' After reminding himself several times that he couldn't do such a thing anymore, an online friend he'd met while playing an MMORPG gave him an idea that was too good to pass up. Akihito might not be as mobile as the young hooligans, but being old had its advantages; no one suspects the poor old person, behind the times on technology and essentially harmless. He would be able to hide in plain sight.

And that's what he did. Akihito completed assignment after assignment by merely being the poor old man out of hearing range, feeding the birds or waiting for the bus. Most of his shots were gained from a tiny spy camera that he himself invented, allowing him to get the pictures while still in character. He wouldn't even have to turn around. Soon he was the best photographer the paper had, bringing in better shots than anyone had gotten before.

Of course, that didn't mean that everyone liked him; in fact, hardly anyone even knew that he worked for the paper. He and the editor made sure that Akihito's info didn't get out, as plenty of goons would give anything to get revenge on the photographer. The few others who did know that Akihito got the enviable shots hated his guts, as they coveted the talent the old man possessed. Luckily for Akihito, none of them held any harmful intents, and any ribbing came only verbally at the workplace.

It was Akihito's anonymity, though, that had him ticked off at the moment. The paper had gotten a tip on an enormous scoop, but it came with a condition; they had to give the photos to the tipster in return for a split profit. Since the tip came from a large, popular newspaper company, Akihito's small paper knew they would gain a better profit from splitting with them than if they published it on their own. Of course, there was a reason the big paper was coming to them; they wanted Akihito's expertise, his 'no doubt' photos. But when they actually saw Akihito, they hadn't believed he was the photographer. It had taken Akihito's editor over an hour to convince them that 'yes, that old man is our genius photographer,' and even when he had gotten into the office, they were still doubtful.

'I better get a fantastic reward to make this worth it,' Akihito grumbled to himself, thinking of their shocked faces when he would provide them the photos. Catching the bus, he made his way back to his small apartment. He didn't need much; he had never married, so this living-room sized apartment was perfect for him. After eating dinner, Akihito looked through his cameras, making sure all of them were in good working condition, while thinking of his plan for this big scoop.

His target was a man he had heard of before, and while he'd heard rumors of him working the underworld, he knew him for being a kingpin in the light side of Tokyo. Now it was Akihito's job to try and catch him in the act of...some transaction. That was all he had gotten, other than the time and location. If it weren't at some pub at 3 AM, Aki would have thought it was just a normal meeting, as he was meeting up with some other guy who was an overworld top dog. Apparently that man wasn't as big of a celebrity as his target, and since Aki could only get one face in his viewfinder, he could get proof of only one of the men's identities. It was almost impossible to get a clear shot of both faces along with the evidence; Akihito had tried over and over, but the clearest evidence came from catching one man at a time. Frustrating, yes, but it was better than not catching either of them.

After making sure everything was in place, he headed off for the club, needing to start his role immediately. Having received a membership card from the big news company, Akihito planned on being there for several hours before the planned transaction was to occur, 'getting drunk and reminiscent.' He was looking forward to seeing what the inside of the famous Club Sion looked like; it was almost more exclusive than Disney Club 33. How he was even holding the card now was a complete mystery to him.

Once he got to the club, he showed the card to the bouncers and slowly walked inside, mentally mapping the entire place so as to ensure the best angles and escapes. He hadn't needed to escape in a long time, but he still liked to be sure he had the option. Unfortunately, there weren't many routes he could take; apart from the main entrance, there was only the door to the kitchen and a hallway leading further back. The main floor had elegantly-dressed tables spread at perfect intervals, a pristine bar, and a little clearing for dancing. It was so simple, but literally everything was opulent. Several people were there already, but it was still relatively early.

Akihito walked to the bar, glad for the nice suit he had received from work specifically for this, but still feeling under-dressed. Ordering the cheapest drink, which was still exorbitantly expensive (but he was getting reimbursed), he sat down to start 'getting drunk.' After a couple of hours, he got up and went to the hallway in a slightly-fake search for the bathroom, but mainly to see whatever else he could of the club. The hallway led to not only the restrooms, but to also more private sitting/meeting rooms. There was a staircase at the end that led to a second floor, but considering the height of the roof outside versus the height of the ceiling, there couldn't be much at all up there.

While in the restroom, he hid in a stall as he set about placing his cameras. He was trying something new tonight; an almost microscopic remote-controlled camera system. He had brought several of them, and would be able to place at least two in every back room. In order to see what he was doing, he had an app that he created that linked his phone to the cameras, allowing him to not only see but also guide the tiny robots. He couldn't stay in the bathroom for too long, though, or else it would look suspicious. As such, he would have to make a few more trips before he could get everything in place in time.

By the time three o'clock arrived, Akihito was at his own little table, angled away from all security cameras. He synced his phone to his Detective Conan like glasses and watch so that he wouldn't have to be on his phone the whole time. The glasses showed the camera feed while the watch was used to switch between cameras and take the shots. 'Amazing what technology can be made to do nowadays,' he thought, even though he was the one who had created all of these gadgets. 'When I was young, there weren't computers or cell phones or tiny robots; none of this would have been possible. Glad they exist now, though, or I never could have done this again.'

Taking tiny sips from his drink, Akihito watched the rooms. Several of them already held occupants, but none of them held the man he was looking for. He waited for almost half an hour before his target finally showed up. Focusing in on that room, Akihito started taking shots; the more evidence and chances he had, the better. Remembering to continue playing the part of a dazed drunk, he watched the two men in the room talk for a while until finally, a few documents swapped hands. Snapping as many photos as possible of both the target and the evidence, Akihito finished his drink had shambled towards the restroom one final time. Once there, he brought back all of the cameras before making his way out of the club uninhibited.

After arriving back at his apartment, he put away all of the cameras, syncing his photos to the laptop he owned. Too tired to edit anything tonight, though, he got ready for bed, finally slipping under the covers at five AM.

It was already after noon by the time he woke up. Grabbing some toast, he sat down at his desk and started sorting through which pictures to keep and which to toss. After several hours, he loaded the selected shots onto a flash drive and left for the cafe where he would meet up with someone sent by the big paper. It was neither unknown nor super busy, just a nice little cozy place to get a hot drink and a bit to eat, or to exchange information.

Sitting in a booth away from the windows, Akihito ordered while he waited for his contact to arrive. All he knew was that it would be a man in his early twenties with dark blonde hair. Then again, hair that color was rare in Japan, so he should be relatively easy to spot. It wasn't until after Akihito had gotten his food that he finally spotted his contact walking in. The young man wasn't all that subtle, but neither did he stick out too much; his hair was the most noticeable feature about him. In other words, he would be hard to find if anyone came questioning.

Walking over to Aki's table, the man sat down and introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Takato, nice to meet you!" he said as he shook Akihito's hand.

"Akihito, pleasure," Aki smiled back. Full names were a no-no; the less info let out there the better.

"I know this isn't the normal way new neighbors get to know each other, but with my crazy work schedule, this worked out the best, so thank you!" Takato fibbed smoothly.

'Ah, so that's the story we are going with.' "Not a problem, I needed to get out of that stuffy place; staying inside all the time isn't good."

"Great!" Takato replied, then turned his attention to the drink and donut a waitress had brought him.

For the next little while, they made small talk while they ate. They found out a good amount about each other, since that portion of the facade didn't need to be faked, and Akihito found that he enjoyed Takato's company. By the time they were getting ready to leave, they had become friends. At some point in the middle of their conversation, though, Akihito's pill-case flash drive switched hands; it was a common thing for an elderly man to take pills at a meal, so the camouflaged flash drive wouldn't turn a head. Akihito had placed it on the table by his glass before Takato had even arrived, so all the young man had to do was surreptitiously swipe it.

After parting ways, Akihito made his way home. Once there, he erased all evidence of the photos ever existing on his devices; now that they were passed along, he didn't need backup copies anymore. Besides, he could always catch the man another time if these photos were lost, but if he were caught with them now then there wouldn't be another time. After he finished, he went to bed, still tired after his essentially all-nighter.

He never noticed the eyes watching him.


	3. Chapter 3

He knew something was wrong the moment he entered the meeting room.

Scanning his surroundings, Asami could find absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. The table and chairs were the only things in the room, so there was nothing to hide devices behind. So why did he feel that someone was watching him? Alerting his secretary Kirishima to the issue, he turned his attention back to the man he had business with. Yamiya Soto was a portly little man who was a successful businessman who also had an illegal side business. Despite this, the man seemed to know nothing of Asami's role in the underworld, which, while surprising, was very useful; it would make it much easier to take the man down. While not a saint, Asami definitely had lines that even he wouldn't cross, and child trafficking was one of the things he couldn't stand. So, under guise of doing business with Yamiya, Asami would undermine and overthrow Yamiya's trafficking ring.

It seemed that someone else might have the same idea, if Asami's instincts were correct. Whether this spy was after him or Yamiya he couldn't tell, but either way, Asami needed whatever information the little sneak got, as it could either aid his plans or cause some difficulties depending on the subject. Alert to the lurker, though, Asami could conduct business as usual while being extra cautious of where he looked.

The meeting went well, and once it was finished, Asami went to his office on the upper floor of the club to check out the security camera footage. Kirishima had already pulled out anything that looked suspicious, which meant anyone doing anything that didn't involve their hands being seen. After over an hour of looking at the videos, Asami had it narrowed down to a few people. Ordering Kirishima to look up the memberships of these guests, Asami sat back for a drink and a smoke.

"Here are the results, Asami-sama," Kirishima said as he walked back into the room. "Three of the four have memberships that are questionable. Miss Riyutaro Anita has been coming here for a few years now, and that young woman certainly isn't her. Mr.'s Watanabe Aoi and Igari Ue are both new members."

"What about the fourth man?" Asami asked.

"Yes, Mr. Takamoto Akiba. The old man has had a membership here for a little over a year now, and while he doesn't appear often, the man in the footage definitely matches the description we have."

"Hm." Taking a sip of his drink, Asami turned to the footage of the old man. "For now, follow all four and get that information back before dawn."

"Yes, sir," Kirishima bowed before leaving the room.

Asami barely noticed Kirishima leaving, his attention entirely on the man in the film. 'Why do I feel like this old man has more to him than we believe?' For a while, he studied the film of the man, trying to find anything that would justify his suspicion, but he couldn't find anything that wasn't easily explained away. If Takamoto really did spy, then he was an expert, but his men would find the data no matter what.

Within the hour, Asami had reports on all four suspects. Not surprisingly, Teramiko Rin, as she was found out to be, had stolen goods on her, while the two men came clean. The old man, though, was interesting. While they knew his real name, Takaba Akihito, they would have to break into his apartment to find out if he had anything on him. While this didn't pose any problems, the fact that it was some old man that made them take this much trouble was fascinating to Asami. 'How much is there to this man?'

While his men combed Takaba's apartment, Asami tried to focus on the pile of papers he had to go through, but found his mind drifting back to the cunning old man. He had already received confirmation that Takaba had the pictures, and his men were going through them to make sure that only Yamiya could be identified in them (since having more evidence against the man was beneficial to Asami's designs anyway); this old man was GOOD at what he did. For a moment Asami ran through the idea that the ancient appearance might be a disguise, but there was so much evidence of the man's past that the notion was quickly discarded. This geezer was genuinely fantastic at his job as well as a true genius, if those patents he held said anything about him. Yet the man was poor as a dormouse, giving all of his earnings to charities. He didn't seem to be insane, so he was likely just freakishly generous.

All in all, Takaba Akihito had really piqued Asami's interest.

Over the next several hours, all that Takaba did was sleep, and after that, edit his photos. His demeanor showed he didn't know anyone had been to his apartment while he slept, so Asami's men were doing their job. Once he left, Asami's men tailed him to a mediocre cafe, where he met up with a young blonde kid and exchanged the photos. A few of the men followed the new kid to a major publishing company while the rest followed Takaba back to his apartment, where the old man promptly deleted all evidence that any photos had been taken. He then headed back to bed, understandably.

'Aren't secret cameras just amazing, Takaba?' Asami thought as he watched the events at Takaba's home unfold. Shutting the laptop, Asami prepared for bed while planning the best way to 'meet' Takaba Akihito and get to know him better than just written facts and secret film could tell him.

The next day (or evening, as it were; the crime lord did most of his business at night), Asami decided to buy Takaba's favorite parts shop and then run into the old man there. The negotiations were more difficult than he expected, though; the couple that ran the shop did so because it was the husband's dream job, and no matter what Asami offered, they wouldn't sell. In the end, Asami had to offer them a prime location in an area he owned to get them to move, basically giving them an upgrade for free so that he could meet Takaba. 'Oh well, this just gives me two locations to run into him.'

Unsure whether the old man would learn of the shop moving before trying to visit it or not, Asami made sure to be in each location at least once per night. About a week into the move, though, Asami got lucky. Takaba came up to the shop clearly shocked, but his relief after reading the sign about the relocation clearly shone on his wizened face. The owners of the shop were still there, and Akihito immediately went up to talk to them. Asami let them talk for a moment before coming up to them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Suzuki, is this a bad time?" he started off, knowing full well it wasn't.

"Ah, no, you're fine," Mrs. Suzuki responded with a smile. "What can we do for you?"

"Nothing that can't wait," Asami replied smoothly. Gesturing to Takaba, he asked, "Who might this be?"

"This is one of our regular customers; Takaba-san," Mr. Suzuki answered. "I'm sure you will be seeing him a lot in the future."

"I believe so," Asami affirmed in a low voice, his gaze moving to Akihito's wrinkled face. "Hello, Takaba-san."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that I'm using some English identifiers (Mr. and Mrs.) and some Japanese. I'm planning on only using the English for the Suzukis, as they are mentioned together and I think it's a bit better than Suzuki-sans or something.

Akihito's story was on the front page of the paper the first day after he'd handed over the pictures. The news channels then picked up the story straight away; 'yeah, I'm makin' some bank on this one.' After such a dangerous job, though, he decided to lay low for several days. He didn't leave home much, just stayed home and played video games while munching on junk food (just because he didn't grow up with pocky doesn't mean he can't love it). After about a week, though, he decided to venture out to his favorite parts shop to see if there was anything new to inspire him. The little shop was run by a cute young couple with whom Akihito had become friends. They gave him great deals and he provided free advertising, and it was just a nice environment to be in.

On the way to the shop, Akihito stopped to look at a Vespa dealership. It was only recently that he had really paid attention to the small vehicles, but he knew that he didn't have the coordination needed to safely ride one anymore. He gazed longingly through the display window for a good while before finally moving on to the parts shop.

When he rounded a corner, the sight before him was devastating. There were moving trucks in front of the little shop, which was nearly empty of merchandise and shelving. Panicking, Akihito practically ran as he rushed up to the building. On the door was a piece of paper that merely said, 'Moving to new location! We'll be open for business again once we have gotten set up there. Thank you for your patience and support!'

Relief flowed through the old man as the words sunk in. He really didn't want to lose this place, and while it looked like it was going to move to somewhere busier, at least it would still exist. He hoped that their policies wouldn't change, that they'd still have some of that small business feel. Looking through the window, he saw the owners inside and decided to go and ask about their future plans. Opening the door, he walked around the chaos to the counter where the Suzukis stood.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Suzuki. Trying to give me a heart attack, are you?" Akihito ribbed with a smile.

"Takaba-san!" Suzuki Ai called, running around the counter to give the old man a bear hug. "It's been a while, have you been up to no good?"

"Not as much as you, it seems," Akihito responded, stepping back. "What made you decide to switch locations?"

"Oh, we got a great offer from a famous businessman who wanted this location for some reason. He gave us a space in a complex he owns that will hopefully draw some more business. It's closer to the airport and the subway station, so tourists should find us easier."

Something about that seemed a bit off to Akihito. "That's fantastic! But I wonder why he wants this space; only locals usually come here."

"If I remember correctly, he said it was something about reviving the area," Ai mused. "I think this was a bustling area a while ago."

"It was, actually," Akihito recalled. "A decade ago this area was booming. I wonder if this guy will be able to pull it off?"

"He's actually here today if you want to see him," Ai responded excitedly. "Hey, maybe you could take a few shots of him and the move?"

A tall man dressed in a three-piece midnight-black suit suddenly walked up to them. Though clearly Japanese, his broad shoulders, large build, and golden eyes were strikingly foreign. It all combined together to make a devilishly good looking man, but it felt like Akihito had seen him somewhere before.

"Mr. and Mrs. Suzuki, is this a bad time?" the man asked with a small smile.

"Ah, no, you're fine," Ai answered, turning her attention to him. "What can we do for you?"

"Nothing that can't wait," Asami replied smoothly. Gesturing to Akihito, he asked, "Who might this be?"

"This is one of our regular customers; Takaba-san," Mr. Suzuki answered. "I'm sure you will be seeing him a lot in the future."

"I believe so," Asami affirmed in a low voice, his gaze moving to Akihito's wrinkled face. "Hello, Takaba-san."

"Good evening, sir," Akihito greeted back. "Ai here has neglected to tell me your name. If you'd be so kind...?"

"Ah, yes," Asami smirked, glancing at a blushing Ai, "my name is Asami Ryuichi. I'm the one who bought out the location. Your friends here drove quite a hard bargain."

"I would expect no less," Akihito replied. "They may be easygoing, but they are business owners. Success doesn't come to the half-hearted."

"Very true," Asami affirmed. "I take it you are interested in electronics, Takaba-san?"

"Yes, but particularly cameras," Akihito answered with a smile. "There's something amazing about being able to capture so much with something so small. It's amazing how far technology has come since I was young."

"Indeed," Asami agreed, a mysterious glint in his eye that Akihito couldn't quite understand. "For millennia humans have only had the simple tools that they could create with what was in their immediate vicinity, and didn't have time to dedicate to inventing tools that would make their lives easier. Meanwhile, since the nineteenth century, technology has skyrocketed, now at the point where what we have now couldn't even be imagined merely decades ago."

"Hey, I'm not that old!" Akihito responded with a smile.

"I never said you were," Asami countered with that mysterious smirk, setting off Akihito's inquisitive instincts. 'I wonder what he's hiding?'

"Anyway, you two," Ai cut in, "I was just mentioning an idea to Takaba-san. Asami-san, would you be okay with having Takaba-san take photos for the move? It would make for some great advertisement for us."

"I don't see why not," Asami acquiesced. "Takaba-san, would you be available for the next week or so?"

"I've nothing in the way currently, and if I can help the Suzukis then I'll gladly pitch in," Akihito said with a smile. 'Plus, I'm interested in finding out more about you, Asami Ryuichi. What are your real intentions?'

"Thank you so much, Takaba-san!" Ai exclaimed, running up to hug the old man before suddenly pulling back. "Oh, how much should we pay you?"

Akihito looked at her in surprise. "I don't need-"

"Of course you will be compensated," Asami interrupted. "You'll be providing advertising for me as well, and I won't allow someone who does work for me to leave unpaid."

"But I really don't-"

"Takaba-san, please?" Ai begged, hands clasped and puppy eyes pleading.

Akihito sighed. "Alright, fine. But I don't need much!"

"Yay, thank you thank you thank you!" Ai cried, bouncing up and down.

After a short debate over what the pay rate should be, Akihito agreed to meet with them at their new location in Shinjuku the next day. He had to borrow a camera from the Suzukis for that day's shots, as he'd left his at home, but he was still able to get quality shots. Once he was able to slip out, he quickly went back to his apartment to start some research into Asami Ryuichi.

He quickly found out the basics about the man; CEO of a super successful company, disgustingly rich, yet great donor to charities, ladies' swoon fest, yada yada yada. There was nothing he could really use from that. The only remotely dirty info he could find on Asami was that he might be a crime lord in the underworld, but it came from outrageous tabloids that would print anything just to get some readers. Akihito hated tabloid journalism; there was nothing useful that could be done with it. It was all speculations and rumors. Nobody would be able to present their stories in court as evidence against someone. That was why Akihito worked for the big companies, taking shots that would be able to clearly put someone behind bars. He could make a difference working there. However, while there was rarely a trace of fact behind the sensational stories in tabloids, occasionally there would be a grain of truth to them, something that began the rumor in the first place. That was something Akihito could work with.

The question was, how did he want to go about his investigation? He knew he would be interacting with Asami every day for at least a week, so he could hopefully get some more information directly from the source, but he doubted Asami would let much slip. He also doubted that he could place a bug on the man; Akihito was good, but not that good. Perhaps he could get the man to invite Aki to more of his locations, and he could plant some bugs while there.... That seemed to be the best plan.

Mind made up, Akihito decided to play a bit online, hoping to find his friend Kou there as well. Kou had been the one to suggest to Aki that he go back into the criminal photography business. Aki had never once met Kou but they were still excellent friends, modern technology once again aiding Aki in his old age. He had no idea how old Kou was, just that he was a guy whose online personality was just as 'attack before you assess' as Aki's was. They were constantly challenging opponents that were much too strong for them, but they would just laugh at their failures and go on to the next one.

Finding Kou online, he sent a request to connect together, which was accepted after a minute or so. A chat box popped up in the bottom left corner of the screen, and they kept up a conversation while playing.

Kou4it: Hey Aki, how's it goin' man?

Kou had long-since dropped the honorific; neither he nor Akihito felt it necessary. They were friends, so they were equals, at least here.

Aki2unlock: Not bad. Was able to help out a friend today after they nearly gave me a heart attack.

Kou4it: Ha, what'd they do?

Aki2unlock: Made me think they were out of business.

Kou4it: Oh, this your shop-owner friend?

Aki2unlock: Yep.

Kou4it: Bet your face was priceless, man.

Aki2unlock: You don't even know what my face looks like.

Kou4it: Old and wrinkly.

Aki2unlock: Thanks -_-

Kou4it: Anytime bro.

Aki did a little team damage at that.

Kou4it: Hey, cut it out!

Aki2unlock: You dished it out, take what's coming to you.

Kou4it: Rude.

Aki2unlock: Hello pot, I'm kettle.

Kou4it: What?

Aki2unlock: The pot calling the kettle-

Kou4it: OH, hahahahaha!

This went on for a while, but around midnight, Aki decided he'd better clock out for the night; it hadn't been early when he went to the store earlier, and it certainly wasn't a short visit there. Saying goodbye to Kou and logging off, Akihito readied himself for bed and checked over the equipment he'd need for the shoot with Asami the next day. He was more excited for this challenge than he'd been since the first day back on the job.

As he was getting in bed, the feeling of something wrong settled lightly over him. He'd been feeling it occasionally for several days now, but he hadn't been able to place why. He double checked his doors and windows, making sure they were locked, and scanned his room for anything suspicious or out of place, but he couldn't find anything. Willing the feeling away, he got back in bed and eventually fell asleep.

Unbeknownst to him, the golden eyes were still watching his every move.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, sorry this chapter is short, especially after such a long break, but I'm finally about to get to the point where I have been aiming for ever since I started this story. Hopefully the next chapter will thus come quickly! Anyway, thanks for staying with me and I hope you'll continue to support me!

Asami quickly finished up his business after Takaba left, not really having needed to be there in the first place. Most of the work left didn't need supervision from a higher-up on his side, but he would be there anyway in order to scope out the old man.

Returning to his office in Sion tower, he pulled out some paperwork that needed his attention and sat down to watch how Takaba spent the rest of his evening. The first thing that he saw was the old man sitting at a computer, Asami's face staring at him from the screen. It then flicked through different news articles about him.

'It seems I'm not the only one interested here.'

After a while, Takaba switched over from research to gaming. A little surprised that the elder would enjoy games aimed at teenage boys, Asami watched as the old man's face lit up with the kind of bright emotion one would find in said younger generation. Asami wondered what the chat box on the screen said, but the words were too small for his hidden camera to pick up. He had a feeling it would reflect the man's currently youthful attitude.

Takaba was turning out to be an interesting mix of wisdom and youth. While in person, the man was wizened and slow-paced, but when he got into some electronics, it was like he was a kid again. He was easily going back and forth between the mouse and the keyboard, his fingers swiftly typing out commands and sentences alike. He even bounced around in his chair, physically energized by the adrenaline the game provided. Asami chuckled whenever the man would scowl at something that happened in the game.

By the time the old man finished with his antics and headed to bed, Asami had gotten through only one paper of work. The geezer was just that interesting to watch. Shaking his head at himself, Asami turned back to his work. He only got through a few more documents before his attention turned to how he would steer their future interactions to get the old man's guard lowered so as to better get to know him.

The next few days were some of the most enjoyable that Asami had experienced in a long time. At first his interactions with Takaba were all professional, but after the second day he invited the man for drinks after they were finished for the evening. Takaba's eyes flashed with excitement mixed with success before the wrinkly smile was in place. It was odd, though, since the smile was genuine, which was at odds with the current situation. Asami was used to masks and guile.

By the end of the night, Asami found that Takaba didn't have a very high alcohol tolerance. Or rather, not much desire for it. In fact, the man ordered a dessert to eat along with the beer Asami picked for him. It was a huge ice cream sundae, and the old man ate the whole thing within moments. Asami would bet that if the man hadn't been talking then the dessert would have disappeared even faster.

By the time the week was over, Asami found that he truly wanted to continue meeting with the genuine old man. Takaba was honest, youthful, mischievous, smart, generous, playful, forgiving, and adamant about being a good citizen, although his eyes twinkled when he told Asami about his days ending up in the police office when he was young. When Asami proposed to continue meeting after their business ended, the old man readily agreed, but considering how Takaba was still being cautious with him, Asami was pretty sure it had more to do with his curiosity than his desire to stay connected. After all, Asami had let not even a hint about his 'underworld business' out.

Although the expensive sushi might also have been a part of Takaba's decision.

And a part of Asami hoped Takaba might actually like him back.

Pushing that thought aside, Asami moved to further planning on what to do next with his relationship with Takaba. Kirishima stood nearby, waiting for Asami to look over some documents. The secretary seemed simultaneously annoyed at Asami's lesser work capacity and relieved that Asami seemed to be less stressed, so it was rather amusing to see the man practically fidget at the wait. Deciding to take Takaba to a video arcade next, Asami finally called Kirishima forward to continue doing actual work. 

When the appointed date for the outing came, Asami was surprised to find Takaba already absorbed in a motorbike simulating game by the time he arrived. The look of concentration on that wizened face as Takaba rocked side to side on the bike was almost silly, but also showed some of the youthfulness Asami always seemed to find whenever Takaba was doing something he was passionate about. Asami chuckled under his breath as he went to stand behind the old man until he finished the race in first.

"Well done, Takaba-san," Asami said, putting a hand on the other man's shoulder.

"Gah, don't do that, Asami-san," Takaba exclaimed, clutching his chest as he turned to face Asami, "you're going to give me a heart attack!"

"Your heart is just fine," Asami smirked as he helped the man off the bike. How he got on there in the first place, Asami may never know. At least, he wouldn't if he didn't have access to every security camera in Tokyo. 'That gives me something interesting to do later.'

"How would you know?" Takaba asked, looking at Asami skeptically.

"Would you have been playing that game just now if it weren't?" Asami questioned back.

Takaba looked away and tsked before grabbing a nearby cane. "Anyway, what sort of thing would you be interested in playing? From what I know of you, this doesn't seem to be something you'd enjoy."

"I've played enough games in my time, don't worry," Asami answered with his gaze locked on the cane in Takaba's grasp. "When did you get the cane, Takaba-san?"

"Hm? Oh, this? I had a doctors appointment earlier this week and the darned man said I needed it," Takaba answered with a scowl.

"I'm surprised you're using it if you're that against it," Asami admitted as he led the way to a zombie shooter.

Takaba sighed before answering, "Yes, well, while I'd really rather not use it, I do want to stay mobile for as long as possible, so I believe I should follow the doctor's advice."

"You actually have some wisdom with your age. I was beginning to wonder if it was just a mask," Asami teased, earning a scowl from the old man.

"Just because I don't always act my age doesn't mean I've lived this long and learned nothing, boy," Akihito quipped, putting tokens in the machine and picking up one of the fake shotguns. "And besides, I doubt even the best makeup artist could capture the jiggle of these cheeks."

Takaba then grinned cheekily up at Asami before immediately starting the shoot-off. Asami raised his eyebrows in astonishment before turning his attention to the game. Takaba's enthusiasm started infecting Asami as the game went on, and a good-natured competitive spirit Asami hadn't felt for a long time settled over him. It turned out that they were fairly evenly matched, although Asami would bet he would completely trounce the old man in a real target match.

Throughout the rest of their evening together, Asami thought on how much time he might have left to spend with Takaba. By now he knew that he wanted to be with Takaba, but the question was how long did Takaba have? Asami knew he had little time left before Takaba's time was up, so would he be able to do anything to extend that time?

Of course he could. He's Asami Ryuichi after all.


	6. Chapter 6

Akihito couldn't shake the chill he seemed to constantly have lately.

It wasn't just at home anymore, although it was worst there. He would often feel it when outside, especially when he went on a shoot. The odd part was when he was with Asami, though. Akihito was pretty certain the man had something to do with it, since it only started around the time he met him, but he only sometimes felt the chill when with the younger man. The times when he did feel it, though, were almost stronger than when he was alone. Overall, it was a rather disturbing feeling.

He was also fairly certain about Asami's involvement with the underground. The man was just too observant for Aki to plant anything on him; anybody innocent wouldn't need to keep that kind of guard up all the time.

Despite this, Aki was enjoying his time with Asami. It had been a while since he had someone he enjoyed being with. Everyone was either too docile or too judging, so being with Asami, who was neither, was an enjoyable change of pace. So far Asami had taken him to places that catered to both his young spirit and his old bones, and Aki was pretty sure Asami wasn't interested in the former all that much if the way he mostly watched Aki when doing the younger activities said anything.

'Come to think of it, it almost feels as if he's taking me on dates,' Aki thought as he was preparing dinner for himself. Unfortunately, the doctor said he needed to reduce his sodium intake so ramen wasn't much of an option anymore. Instead, dinner tonight consisted of scrambled eggs, orange juice, toast, and a warmed up frozen waffle. At least he didn't have to cut back on sugar.

He was pretty sure he'd die without sugar.

After setting the table and filling the dishes, Akihito started the arduous task of sitting. Sitting down at his low table was getting harder to do with the ache in his back and knees. The cane helped ease the pain when walking and standing, but it did almost nothing when sitting down. He really ought to get a western table that didn't require him to sit on the floor, but that was like admitting the fact that he was old enough that his body wasn't behaving the way he wanted it to. Besides, he already had a desk, so he could always act like a teenager and just eat there. Except that the surface was covered in camera parts, his computer, and other bits related to his job that, while somewhat organized, still took up almost all the surface. It was his work desk, after all, and he didn't really have another place to put the items, so there they stayed. The couch was out of the question since he didn't want to try to juggle all the dishes on his lap, and there was no way he would ever want one of those tray things unless he literally couldn't move anymore.

So, on the floor it was. Besides, this kept him in shape for kotatsu season.

While eating his breakfast-dinner, Aki thought about where Asami and he were going tomorrow; a supremely fancy restaurant in downtown Tokyo. Akihito wasn't usually into such things (so much money for so little food), but this place was rumored to have the best Japanese cuisine in town. Plus, with all of the activities they'd done for Akihito, he figured he ought to do something Asami would enjoy more. Although, since Asami insisted on paying, Akihito wasn't really sure how much of this was for the businessman.

'This whole situation really does remind me of dating,' Aki thought as he finished up and moved to stand, his back protesting at the action. 'It's been decades since I've been on the dating scene, though, so what do I know? And besides, I'm an old prune of a man, why would another man want to date me? And why am I treating this as if we're dating now?'

Shaking his head at himself, Aki washed up the dishes and went to the computer to play online with Kou.

Kou4it: Aki!! Great to see you, you haven't been online much lately!

Aki2unlock: Yeah, I've had some real life things come up, sorry!

Kou4it: Did you find a cute lady friend?

Aki sputtered before typing his reply. 'Why the heck is that the first thing he thinks of?'

Aki2unlock: What? Heck no, you know I'm practically a relic.

Kou4it: Dude, I think you passed that milestone ages ago.

Aki2unlock: And you haven't hit puberty yet.

Kou4it: Hey!

Aki2unlock: Don't start what you don't want to finish.

Kou4it: Yes, grandpa.

Aki2unlock: Yeah, that ship sailed long ago. Never married, remember?

Kou4it: Hey, who says you couldn't have been a player? You might be a grandpa and not know it.

Aki2unlock: Nope. I'm gay.

Kou4it: Oh. That had to be hard back then. Were you even able to date?

Aki2unlock: Not really, and it didn't go well when I tried. Don't ask.

Kou4it: Why? What happened?

Aki2unlock: I said don't ask, jerk.

Kou4it: I want a history lesson.

Aki2unlock: Oh look, you're being targeted by a gigantic army. Have fun learning historic war tactics.

Kou4it: Hey! I thought you were protecting that flank!

Aki2unlock: I was.

Kou4it: Fine, I'll stop asking, so get your butt back over here!

Aki2unlock: }:) On my way.

They battled for a while, and while Aki did his best to ignore the 'being watched' feeling, it only kept getting worse, so he eventually called it a night so he could take a walk to a nearby convenience store just to get out of the apartment. He had looked up several different places to move into and had one in mind, but it would be a week at least before he could move in there. He loved his current place, but it wasn't worth staying there if it wasn't feeling like home anymore.

At this point, he really didn't want to head back home, but he didn't want to waste money on a hotel and really, anywhere felt terrible at this point, so he wasn't sure how much that would help. The real question was whether he wanted to confront Asami about yet, since he didn't have any concrete evidence to back up his suspicions. There was a mild relief in the fact that he was pretty sure he knew who was the cause of all of it, though. He just hoped that he hadn't snooped on someone Asami had ties with and thus the man was after him now.

Because Aki was really having a good time being with the man, and the thought of it all being a facade just hurt.

Deciding to head back home after buying some pocky and an extra lock for his door, he headed home to turn in for the night, trying to focus on the outing tomorrow. When the appointed time arrived the following evening, Aki was bouncing back and forth between excitement and nervousness. He had finally decided to bring up the 'probably spying' situation with Asami at the end of the evening, if only to alleviate his worry that Asami might be the cause. And if he was the cause, well, he had no idea what was going to happen. Asami had passed up plenty of opportunities to kill him off, so what the man would want with him was a complete mystery.

Stepping out of his apartment, Aki's eyes widened at the limo waiting on the road. A man Asami had introduced as his secretary Kirishima got out of the passenger seat and opened the rear door, where an immaculate Asami was waiting. Aki rolled his eyes at the ostentatious display and got into the car, settling down next to Asami.

"Did you really have to bring a limo?" Aki asked as the car started toward the restaurant.

"What else would I come in?" Asami asked, glancing toward Aki with a raised eyebrow.

"Something normal?" Aki replied, mirroring the other man's expression.

"I'm assuming you're thinking along the lines of a Honda or something, correct?" Asami asked, looking back toward the front of the car. He continued without waiting for an answer, "Why would I want to even own one of those things?"

"Ah, right, I'm dealing with a man who knows nothing of being frugal," Akihito quipped as he rolled his eyes.

"I couldn't be where I am if I'd never been frugal before, Takaba-san," Asami countered.

"True enough," Akihito acquiesced. "That doesn't change the fact that you are overly ostentatious, though."

"I know what I like," Asami shrugged, before smirking at the old man. "The question is, why don't you like it?"

Aki frowned before answering, "As I've said, it's ostentatious, unnecessary, and causes people to confront you about why you're in such a thing. It's not worth the trouble, in my opinion."

Asami chuckled before talking, "So you're saying that it's not so much others' opinions that matter, but rather their insistence on making you fit what they would think of you that bugs you?"

"Of course! 'Why were you in a limo? Where did you get the money for that? Is the car a rich friend's that I can chat up and woo?' It's annoying and creates useless questions that never have answers that satisfy. They only want to hear what they want to hear, and from then on their whole opinion of you changes," Akihito griped, gesturing with his hands.

"I take it that you have experienced this before?" Asami asked.

Akihito sighed, "Yeah, I made the mistake once of riding in one on the way to a grand opening of a gallery. Never lived it down."

"I suppose I'm far enough in the food chain that I don't have to deal with that," Asami commented as the car pulled up in front of the hotel where the restaurant was located. "Nobody questions who owns it and nobody that annoying gets close to me."

"Doesn't change the fact that it's unnecessary," Akihito griped, opening the car door to get out before Asami or his secretary could.

Asami chuckled as he and Aki walked into the hotel and to the elevator, Aki hating the fact that he caused Asami to slow his pace in order to match his hobble. The ride up seemed to take forever, which made sense with how the restaurant was on the top floor, but that didn't mean it lessened the old man's dread of whatever fancy-shmancy environment awaited him. When the doors finally opened, Aki was greeted with the sight of floor-to-ceiling windows behind several tables. His fingers itching for a camera, he walked over to the windows and took in the view of early nighttime Tokyo. 'Well, that just made this trip worth it.'

Aki wasn't sure how long he was staring at the view when Asami suddenly touched his shoulder to get his attention, "Our table is right by the window if you'd like to come and pick something to eat while you ogle the skyline."

"Alright, alright," Aki said as he let himself be led to the table. True to Asami's word, the table was located right by the window, and Asami had to remind him to actually look at the menu to pick something out. He was honestly tempted by the children's menu, although why anyone would ever bring their child here was a mystery to him. Deciding to be an adult, he picked some really fancy sushi.

Dinner itself wasn't as painful as Aki thought it was going to be. They made idle chitchat as they ate, and the food was definitely delicious. Before he knew it, dessert was done and it was nearly midnight.

"Well, that went longer than I thought it would," Aki said as he settled more comfortably in his chair, feeling full but not stuffed. "I forgot how many courses people could add to a meal. Did we really need that many in a Japanese restaurant?"

"Do you really care?" Asami asked as he sipped from his sake cup.

Aki smiled, "I suppose not, all the food was great, but really, it did take a long time."

"Shall we go, then?" Asami asked, standing up and moving around the table to stand by Aki.

"That would be great," Aki smiled as he grabbed his cane and started to stand up. His legs, though, didn't want to do that, and thus he remained sitting, a frown on his face as he tried to stand again. All he got for his effort were his muscles protesting in pain. Looking up at Asami, he gave an apologetic smile, "Ah, Asami-san, it seems that my legs have decided they want to permanently remain sitting. I'm afraid it will be a long walk back to the car."

"Hm. If you'd like, I can have a room here prepared for you so that you don't have to force yourself that far," Asami offered, holding out a hand to help Aki stand. Taking a deep breath, Aki took the hand and was slowly pulled to his feet, grimacing in pain.

"I hate to say it, but that would be nice, thank you," Aki said as they slowly made their way toward the elevator. Asami immediately pulled out his phone and made arrangements. Luckily the hotel always kept some rooms empty for just in case, and they only had to go down a few floors to get to the room. By the time they reached the door, a staff member was waiting for them with the room key. She bowed and left them the key, leaving the two men to make their way inside.

Asami helped Aki into one of the plush chairs in the room before heading to grab a bathrobe for the old man to sleep in. Aki sighed in relief at being off his feet, even though he knew he'd have to stand up to change in just a bit anyway.

'Why is it that I can sit for a long time on a stake out but this causes my muscles to freeze up?'

"Alright, Takaba-san, will you need help changing or should I just turn away for a bit?" Asami asked as he walked back into the room with the robe in hand.

"Just help me stand up, please, my arms are fine," Aki responded.

It was a slow process, but Aki eventually got into the plush bathrobe. While he was sitting back down, Asami spoke again.

"Is there anything I need to have brought from your home? Any clothes or medicine?"

"No, day-old clothes never hurt anyone," Aki replied, reaching back to rub his neck.

"I thought you said your arms were fine?" Asami asked, moving over to start massaging Aki's shoulders.

"They are. At least, fine in terms of how they've been lately," Aki responded, leaning into the rubbing. "Being old isn't great on the body, you know."

Asami hummed in agreement, "I can imagine. I'm glad I haven't had to go through that."

"Not yet, you haven't," Aki chuckled, "but if you're lucky, you'll live long enough to be able to."

"And if you're really lucky, you'll live long and not have to," Asami replied.

Confused, Aki asked, "What are you talking ab-"

Suddenly, a sharp, stabbing pain flared from his neck. Gasping, Aki tried to reach up to get rid of whatever was causing it, but Asami captured both of his hands in one of his own.

"Asami, wh-what are you do-ing?" Aki bit out, trying to jerk away. Whatever was happening, it was quickly knocking him out. Dizzy, Aki kept struggling, but he just couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

He passed out into Asami's waiting arms.


	7. Chapter 7

Asami tucked Akihito into the bed before moving to the balcony to smoke. It would take a few hours for the changes to finish, so he had some time to kill. He didn't want to leave, though, because that was only an estimate, and he knew not to leave Akihito alone when he eventually woke up. Not only was it likely to freak him out even worse if Asami weren't there, it would also be rather hilarious to watch. He could only imagine what that fiery spirit would be capable of in a young body again.

Finished with the cigarette, Asami moved to the plush armchair near the bed to watch over the old man. His breathing was still shallow and he was shivering lightly, but when Asami checked his pulse it was doing fine. Everything was going as it should. Satisfied, Asami leaned back and pulled out some files that Kirishima had prepared in the room beforehand, prepared to wait until Akihito showed signs of awakening.

................

Akihito slowly woke up to a pounding headache. Groaning, he moved his hands to rub his face and temples. His face seemed different somehow, yet it felt like his face; correct bones here, straight nose there, crows feet nowhere to be found...wait, what? Feeling more intently, Aki found no laugh lines, no wrinkles, no extra skin, nothing. 'What the heck, did Asami give me plastic surgery after he knocked me out?'

Opening his eyes, he found he was still in the same hotel room as before. 'Well, that discredits that theory.' Looking around, he saw Asami sitting in a plush-looking chair next to the bed Aki was lying in. The man was staring at him with a small smirk on his face.

"What the heck is going on, Asami?" Akihito asked, but paused in confusion. 'Why is my voice so weird?'

"You're shouting at me," the man sarcastically replied, his eyes never leaving Aki.

"You know very well that's not what I'm asking..." Aki started, but then caught sight of his reflection in a mounted mirror.

"What in the...?" he started, getting up and walking towards his reflection to make sure it wasn't a picture. In the mirror he saw himself from sixty years earlier. His hair was the thick, bright blond it had once been, and there was not a wrinkle to be found. He realized with a start that walking hadn't hurt either, and that he was standing perfectly straight without a hint of pain. Looking down, he flexed his joints experimentally, hopping from one foot to the other. He could move freely and easily again. Turning to face Asami, Aki found the man smirking at him, eyes still locked on the now young-again form.

"Asami, what did...how in the...what happened?" Aki asked, unable to get out a full sentence.

"I made you young again," the man simply answered.

"But, but how?" Aki pressed, still confused and now a little frustrated. "And why didn't you ask first?"

"Would you have really refused?" Asami asked, apparently avoiding the first question.

"Uh, probably!" Aki responded. "Who the heck volunteers for some age-reduction experiment? How do I know that it hasn't done something awful to me, or how long it will last until it kills me or something? I was fine being old!"

"Nothing bad will happen, Akihito," Asami...soothed? "Although, I suppose that depends on your definition of bad."

"What the heck? And when did you start calling me by my first name?" Akihito demanded.

"Just barely, although I've thought about it for a while," Asami answered, easily fielding Aki's frantic questions. "I am actually much older than you, you know."

"How!? I've never heard of this magic age-reducing technology, it's gotta be brand new!" Aki practically shouted, feeling himself start to panic.

"Calm down, Akihito," Asami said, slowly walking towards the now-young man. "Just let me tell you what's going on, alright?"

"I don't know how much I can trust you anymore," Akihito grumbled, "but you're probably the only one who can tell me what happened. Internet certainly won't help."

Asami finally reached Akihito, and Aki grudgingly let himself be led back to the bed to sit on the edge next to Asami.

"To start with, the answer is actually laughably simple," Asami began, pulling out a cigarette but not lighting it. "The method has been around for thousands of years, although it has been misconstrued for all that time by almost every culture."

"What? What in the world would everyone know about but get wro-" Aki began, before suddenly landing on an idea. "No. No way. There's no way it's something this cliche. I'm not some lovesick teenage girl, there's no way that you can be...right? You're not, right?"

"That depends," Asami smirked, glancing sideways at Aki, "what do you think I am?"

Aki blushed. 'I'm over eighty and I'm blushing, really?' "It's embarrassing, and it's stupid anyway," he mumbled, eyes averted.

"So? Why should that stop you? You know that impossible leads can actually be the answer," Asami pressed.

"...you'll laugh," Aki pouted.

"And then you'll snark back at me, as usual," Asami replied. "So...?"

Aki sighed, and while looking at his feet, said, "You're not a...a vampire, right? Never mind, that's stupid, just tell me!"

"Actually, yes," Asami calmly affirmed. Akihito's head whipped up to look at Asami, and the man's face was completely straight, looking at the cigarette before glancing at the blond. "Would you like to hear more, or will you guess as to what things are really like?"

"You're serious. How in the world can you be serious?" Aki asked, staring at the other man. In response, Asami bared his teeth on the side of his face facing Aki, the extra-long canines clearly visible.

"No, just no," Aki protested, moving away from the other man, "really, just tell me what strange medicine you used."

"Venom," Asami replied. "What will it take for you to believe me, Akihito?"

"Um...bite me?" Aki halfheartedly joked, to which Asami snorted.

"Right for the jugular, huh?" Asami chuckled.

"Ha ha," was the sarcastic reply. "No, uh, how about...wait, first, for me to come up with proof, you need to tell me what you supposedly need to do or not do."

"I've been trying," Asami deadpanned.

'Oh, right.' "Sorry," Aki apologized, "go on."

"First, we're night owls mostly for the fact that we burn very easily in sunlight," Asami began. "It's found in regular humans as well, it just is almost universal among us. As for the rest of the random things, like needing to count things or not crossing rivers, holy relics and garlic and reflections, it's all nonsense. Senses are heightened, but not by enormous proportions. We do, however, seem to live an indeterminate amount of time, barring severe injury or starvation. Blood is the main diet, but so long as it's mammalian, the type shouldn't matter. Other foods and liquids are fine, but not needed, and going without blood for too long will cause starvation."

"So basically, you're normal except for staying forever young, a diet change, and sensitive skin?" Aki summarized, frowning. "Then how the heck are you gonna prove it? Like you said, skin conditions like that exist, so other than actually seeing you drink blood, I don't see how you can back up your statement."

"I could give you details about what life was like when I was young, but since I could have made them up based upon written records, that wouldn't do much," Asami acquiesced. "However, at this point I don't need to prove anything. You'll prove it yourself."

Aki looked at him like he was crazy.

"Um, there's no way I'm gonna go bite some random stranger just for kicks and giggles, brat," Aki protested, glaring at the other man. "I may look like this now, but I'm not so young as to be brainwashed like that."

"You forget that I'm older than you by several centuries, 'young man'," Asami quipped. "And I don't expect you to do it just to prove a point. In fact, I don't expect you to do it at all. One other thing about us, and you are included in that us now, is that a binding 'contract' can be made where you and I will be dependent on each other's blood, allowing other foods to give more nutrition to make up for that dependence on one blood source. That does not mean that you can live off of food altogether, or even go longer without blood. Rather, the intervals where blood is needed will increase, and your appetite for 'regular' food will increase depending on how much blood is lost."

"And let me guess," Aki sarcastically remarked, eyes staring daggers at the potentially-insane man, "you've formed said contract, again without my consent, haven't you, you old coot?"

"Of course," Asami replied easily, getting up and walking to the balcony again while reaching for a lighter to finally put flame to the cigarette he'd been holding. "I can't have anyone else taking you, now can I? Besides, it's safer this way; less chance of food poisoning from poor sources."

"Okay, I'm done here," Aki finally said, getting up and gathering his discarded clothes and (quickly, for once in a very long time) got dressed and started for the door. "I'm clearly not going to get anything sane from you, at least not tonight, so I'll be taking my leave. If I end up in a hospital, I'm reporting you."

"When you get thirsty, you know how to find me," Asami quipped as Aki was stepping out into the hotel hallway. "And remember the sunscreen if you're going to be outside for more than ten minutes during the day, although I'm sure you look very attractive tinged pink."

"Shut it," Aki blushed before shutting the door as hard as he could. Unfortunately, the door was designed to shut slowly on it's own so that didn't do much.

Hurrying down the hallway faster than he'd moved in decades, Aki made it to the elevator while having to hold his clothes in place. 'Now I'm gonna have to buy new clothes; I don't have that kind of money! Wait, that last bit from the the Suzuki shoot oughta cover some clothes from that thrift store...stupid Asami, I wanted to use that money for that new mousse cake!'

Mentally grumbling the entire way home, Aki had no thought to revel in his renewed energy and simply turned on his computer to see if he could vent to Kou. Miraculously finding him online at five in the morning, he connected to his party and began a chat.

Aki2unlock: Kou! You'll never believe what just happened! And why in the world are you even awake right now?

Kou4it: Oh hey, Aki! What're you doin' on? I pulled an all-nighter for some stupid reason trying to complete a quest. If you help me, I can convince myself to get some sleep.

Aki2unlock: Kou! That's terrible, get off and go to sleep!

Kou4it: I will once you help me, old man! Come on! And tell me why you're here.

Aki2unlock: Fine, but you better get off once it's done!

Kou4it: Promise! Now cover me.

Aki2unlock: Got it. Anyway, something terrible happened to me!

Kou4it: Obviously not bad enough to make you not play this.

Aki2unlock: Kou!

Kou4it: Alright, alright. Serious now. What happened, Aki?

Aki2unlock: A guy I trusted just used me for some random medical experiment and is lying about it to my face.

Kou4it: What?! That's messed up, man! You okay?

Aki2unlock: So far, but I have no idea what side effects are going to pop up.

Kou4it: Um, okay, freaky much? And do you know what the experiment was for?

Aki2unlock: De-aging, I guess. I look and feel like I'm twenty again.

Kou4it: You sure you're not high?

Aki2unlock: Nope.

Kou4it: If you start acting odd, I'll try and contact you. I'll give you my cell number just in case.

Aki2unlock: Thanks, that'd be great.

Kou4it: No problem, man. Don't die on me, 'k?

Aki2unlock: Hopefully I won't. Now, let's finish that stupid quest.

Kou4it: Thanks. I'm not sure if this conversation isn't just a dream, so I really need to get this done and over with.

Aki2unlock: Great, we're both out of it.

Kou4it: Hey, mutual loopiness is best, right?

Aki2unlock: When not driving, yes.

Kou4it: ...yeah, I can agree with that. Ack, orc raid!!

Ten minutes later, the quest was completed and Aki was trying to find a pair of pajamas that were comfortable. His younger body was shaped a bit differently than his older one, so the shirts were too large and the pants too short. In the end, he settled with just some boxers and a soft shirt, and finally got to sleep as the sun started rising.

If the next thing he knew, he were dead, he'd kill Asami.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, no hating, okay? This was planned from the start.


End file.
